As interest cools in the prime Central London market, smart investors are looking farther out

The heat might be going out of the prime Central London property market but the thermostat is definitely rising in the suburbs, according to research published by two estate agents this week. Douglas & Gordon predicts strong house price growth next year in areas of London popular with families, while competitors Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward expect a resurgence in buy-to-let purchases as equity-rich older buyers look to invest in property as an alternative to a traditional pension.

Slower growth in prime central areas will be balanced by the strength of family markets in areas such as The Grid in Southfields